Graduate Student. Global Citizen.

Since last Monday I have been traveling in the “field” as it is so called. The “field” is development organization lingo that refers to travel to any of the districts outside of the headquarters. In my opinion, it creates this sense of isolation and differentiation between the policy makers that sit behind desks in the … More Field Trip

Open Government is all the hype these days. A mythical fairy dust that can improve effectiveness of institutions, enhance efficiency of service deliveries, squash corruption, bolster democracy, and empower citizens all in one flick of the wrist. But do these claims hold true? This quite the loaded question. It seems that at the moment we … More Does Ethnography Have a Place in Evaluation?

When it comes to thinking about how best to evaluate a policy or program regarding citizen feedback, my head spins with possible measurements and what they really mean. I’m perplexed by this question of What is impact? And how can you quantitatively measure it within a study? – It sends my mind of into the … More Measuring and Defining Impact

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest of its kind in Uganda. Last weekend, we had the opportunity to travel up to the north west of the country and enjoy a boat safari, game drive, and overnight at one of the camping lodges there in the park. It was a quick trip. We left Saturday … More Murchison Falls

My post back in June highlighted the process of decentralization in Uganda and described the structure of the system in theory alongside the challenges to obtaining this structure in practice. After a month and a half of work with U-Report, I have a better sense of these constraints and the possible ways to overcome them. In … More Decentralization in Uganda: Part 2

After a month plus in with U-Report at UNICEF, I can full-heartedly say my knowledge of ICTs or Information and Communication Technologies within development, and governance specifically, has increased ten-fold. I have become immersed in a land of technical innovations that are helping to empower citizens through increasing access to information, monitoring service deliveries, tracking … More ICTs for Governance: Closing the Feedback Loop

For the Fourth of July weekend, I packed my backpack and ventured off to Zanzibar, Tanzania. You may be wondering why with a stint of only 10 weeks in Uganda, I am leaving the country. Well, I am a beach babe at heart, an island mama if you will, and have you seen what Zanzibar … More To Zanzibar!